Method of playing a keno-zodiac game

ABSTRACT

A zodiac device for increasing the enjoyment of a Keno player is disclosed. A rectangular parallelepiped is provided having a void in the shape of a zodiac sign passing therethrough from the upper base thereof to the lower base thereof. The zodiac sign shaped void is adapted to fit over the numbers printed on a Keno card. The player then selects a number or numbers to be played upon from those visible through the void. For convenience, the rectangular parallelepiped is usually made to be foldable on an axis parallel to two lateral faces thereof and bisecting the rectangular parallelepiped.

[ Mar. 25, 1975 United States Patent Fagan 976,961 12/1964 Great Britain...................273/1521 1 METHOD OF PLAYING A KENO-ZODIAC GAME [76] Inventor:

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Complete Guide to Gambling by John Scarne, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1961, pp. 432-436.

[22] Filed:

Primary Examiner--Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer d 6 f .m. w mm mm 1 a m m M U ,a tm 1 P T .3 m m hU w r S R e T YA m S md r.m 6 R mm r d 1 .w MR. E r dfl e y b Ca an 31. m m rm 1 m w AW [AK 6 5 OMQJA 5 .1 4 3 ,m7 LB H a /M5 7 H 7 3 ,A 5 u 7 3 m 5 2 m HM u 3 5 3 m w MHW A UUNOOQJ nmm mflm ,B MUG/ W 3 L .f CIONC M7 SL8 UI .F 1: 1 2 8 555 [II is provided having a void in the shape of a zodiac sign passing therethrough from the upper base thereof to [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS the lower base thereof. The zodiac sign shaped void is 840 44 adapted to fit over the numbers printed on a Keno 1,817,824 2,284,242 3,332,156 3,411,221

3x2 card. The player then selects a number or numbers to n 273/136 G be played upon from those visible through the void. 273/161 UX For convenience, the rectangular parallelepiped is 273/1521 UX usually made to be foldable on an axis parallel to two FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1/l907 Linco1n......... 8/1931 Jakopec et a1 5/1942 Ziemmerman 7/1967 Reeves.......... 11/1968 Clark lateral faces thereof and bisecting the rectangular parallelepiped.

273/138 R 273/157 A 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARZSIBYS FIG. I

2 Jil I METHOD OF PLAYING A KENO-ZODIAC GAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the art of Keno playing and to the art of astrology.

THE PRIOR ART The playing of Keno is, of course,,very well-known and in at least the State of Nevada, is a legal gambling game. In other states. Keno can be legally played for enjoyment although generally not for money. A typical Keno card comprises 8 rows of numbers, the top row having the numbers l-lO, the second row of numbers 11-20, and on down to the eighth row which has the numbers 71-80. Thus, the card has eight rows of ten columns each, the first column having the numbers I, ll, 21, 71, etc.

The Keno player selects one or more numbers from his card to play upon. A portion of the numbers l-80 are then generated in a random manner. The player wins or loses as a function of the number of correct Keno numbers he has chosen on his card as compared with the total number of Keno numbers he has chosen on his card.

Astrology is closely related to the supposed influence of the positions of the planets upon the life of an individual. The birthdate of an individual is important in astrological computations, and in particular, astrological computations cannot be at all accurately made unless one is aware of which signof the zodiac a person has been born under.

There are 12 periods during the year, each of which correspond to a different sign of the zodiac. The 12 signs of the zodiac are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Corresponding to each name of the zodiac there is a symbol of the zodiac and a common pictorial representation of the sign of the zodiac, e.g., a picture of fish represents the symbol for Pisces. Such symbols may be found in any standard dictionary (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 2nd ed. p 966, G andC Merriam Co., Cambridge, Mass. 1951).

It would be desirable to provide a device for selecting Keno numbers which is in consonance with the zodiac symbolunder which a Keno player has been born. Such a device could provide added pleasure not only to the person who believes in the accuracy of astrological predictions, which person might believe that the numbers thus picked were in harmony and accord with the shape of his zodiac symbol, but would also provide pleasure to an average player in that it would help to alleviate possibleboredom with the game of Keno.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for selecting Keno numbers in consonance with the shape ofa players zodiac symbol.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Kenozodiac game comprising a Keno card and a device for selecting Keno numbers in consonance with the shape of a player's zodiac symbol.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of playing Keno wherebythe numbers chosen by the player are selected in consonance with the shape of his zodiac symbol.

The attainment over these and other objects of the inventionwill become apparent by examination of the detailed description which follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a device for selecting Keno numbers in consonance, harmony, and accord with a players zodiac symbol is disclosed. The device comprises, a rectangular parallelepiped having a void in the shape of a zodiac symbol passing therethrough from the upper base thereof to the lower base thereof, the minimum dimension of said void being at least equal to the smallest dimension of a single number box on a Keno card.

Also disclosed is the combination of a Keno card and the device described immediately above. Still further disclosed is a method of playing Keno comprising placing the device described above so that the void therethrough covers at least a portion of the numbers on a Keno card and selecting the numbers to be played upon from those visible through the void.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the drawingwhich is hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINNG FIG. 1 is a top view illustrating the device for selecting Keno numbers of the present invention in combination with a Keno card.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device for selecting Keno numbers illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates the device for selecting Keno numbers as folded over for convenient carrying.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The device for selecting Keno numbers of the present invention may be formed of any suitable material, but for durability and low cost, it is preferred that it be formed of a plastic material. In order to produce a more durable and/or a more aesthetically pleasing device, it may be desirable to utilize other materials, for example, wood or metal. Thus, the material of which the device is constructed is not critical, although, as discussed in following, plastic is a particularly preferred material when the device is made to be foldable in half.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 3, a device for selecting Keno numbers in consonance with the zodiac sign Pisces (corresponding to being born in the interval February 19 through March 20), which device comprises a rectangular parallelepiped (in this case having rounded corners) is generally indicated by the numeral 1. The ancient zodiac symbol for Pisces is illustrated as forming a void 3 through the rectangular parallelepiped 1. It is clear that the sides 4 and 5 of the upper base 6 and the lower base 7 of the rectangular parallelepiped are much longer than the height 8 of the lateral faces of said rectangular parallelepiped.

Also shown in FIG. 1, is the astrological name 11, Pisces, corresonding to the zodiac symbol 3 for Pisces. A popular pictorial representation 13 of the zodiac symbol 3 corresponding to Pisces is also illustrated.

FIG. 1 further illustrates the placement of a Keno card 15 below or behind the rectangular parallelepiped device for selecting Keno numbers 1. By inspection it can be seen that the minimum dimension 17 of the void 3 is at least equal to the smallest dimension of a single number box 19 on the Keno card 15. Generally, the minimum dimension 17 of the void 3, in the upper base 6 and the lower base 7, is equal to the smallest dimensymbol 3 is generally made large enough to substan-' tially touch at least two opposing edges, e.g., 21 and 23 (or 25 and 27) of the number selection portion 29 of the Keno card 15.

, FIG. 2 is an end view taken, for example, upwardly from the bottom of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 illustrates a thinning of the plastic material from which the rectangular parallelepiped device for selecting Keno numbers I is made, a thinned portion 31 being on a line or axis 33, said line or axis 33 being parallel to a pair of parallel lateral faces of the rectangular parallelepiped l which constitutes the device for selecting Keno numbers.

Referring to FIG. 3, it is apparent that the rectangular parallelepiped 1, due to the thinned portion 31 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, can be folded in half for easy placement in the players pocket.

In an embodiment of the invention not illustrated in the drawing, the rectangular parallelepiped 1 is placed in a soft plastic container much like a simple checkbook to protect it from being scratched or otherwise damaged.

It is, of course, understood that other folding means than a thinned portion in a plastic material may be employed. Thus, the use of hinges is also contemplated as falling within the scope of the present invention.

In practice, a player would place the selection portion 35 of the rectangular parallelepiped 1 partially or completely over the number selection portion 29 of the Keno card 15. The player would then select numbers which he could see through the void 3. A player would, of course, choose a rectangular parallelepiped which had a zodiac symbol shaped void passing therethrough which corresponds to his birthdate or to the birthdate of a friend or relative for whom he was playing the game. While it cannot be rigorously proven to eveyones satisfaction that astrological predictions are accurate, it is clear that the use of the device of the present invention in combination with a Keno card for playing Keno will add a new dimension of enjoyment for any Keno player and especially to the Keno player who believes in astrology.

Generally, the void 3 is restricted in size so that if desired, the void 3 in its entirety can be placed over the number selection portion 29 of a Keno card.

For ease of selection of ones correct device, by which is meant a device having a zodiac shaped void 3 therethrough corresponding to ones birthday or the birthday of a friend or relative, it is preferred that the rectangular parallelepiped l have as an integral part thereof and on the upper base thereof indicia such as the name of the sign of the zodiac and/or a pictorial representation of the sign of the zodiac identifying the zodiac sign represented by the shape of the void 3.

While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of playing Keno, comprising placing a rectangular parallelepiped having a void in the shape of a zodiac symbol passing therethrough from the upper base thereof to the lower base thereof, the minimum dimension of said void in said lower base and in said upper base being at least equal to the smallest dimension of a single number box on a Keno card which has a series of numbers appearing thereon, said void being restricted in size so that said void, in its entirety, can be placed over the number selection portion of the Keno card, said rectangular parallelepiped being constructed of a plastic material, said rectangular parallelepiped including a thinned-out portion of said plastic, said thinned-out portionbeing along an axis parallel to a pair of the parallel lateral faces of said rectangular parallelpiped, said axis bisecting said rectangular parallelepiped and passing through said void, said thinnedout portion making possible the folding of said parallelepiped for easy portability, said rectangular parallelepi ped further including on the upper base thereof indicia identifying said zodiac symbol of said void so that said void renders visible at least a portion of the numbers on the Keno card, selecting less than the total of the visible numbers of said portion, recording the selected numbers on said Keno card, randomly determining a particular combinationof numbers from those which appear on said Keno card, and comparing the selected numbers recorded on the Keno card with the numbers of the combination which have been randomly determined.

2. A method as in claim 1 further characterized in that said zodiac symbol is large enough to substantially touch at least two opposing edges of the number selection portion of the Keno card when placed thereover. 

1. A method of playing Keno, comprising placing a rectangular parallelepiped having a void in the shape of a zodiac symbol passing therethrough from the upper base thereof to the lower base thereof, the minimum dimension of said void in said lower base and in said upper base being at least equal to the smallest dimension of a single number box on a Keno card which has a series of numbers appearing thereon, said void being restricted in size so that said void, in its entirety, can be placed over the number selection portIon of the Keno card, said rectangular parallelepiped being constructed of a plastic material, said rectangular parallelepiped including a thinned-out portion of said plastic, said thinned-out portion being along an axis parallel to a pair of the parallel lateral faces of said rectangular parallelpiped, said axis bisecting said rectangular parallelepiped and passing through said void, said thinned-out portion making possible the folding of said parallelepiped for easy portability, said rectangular parallelepiped further including on the upper base thereof indicia identifying said zodiac symbol of said void so that said void renders visible at least a portion of the numbers on the Keno card, selecting less than the total of the visible numbers of said portion, recording the selected numbers on said Keno card, randomly determining a particular combination of numbers from those which appear on said Keno card, and comparing the selected numbers recorded on the Keno card with the numbers of the combination which have been randomly determined.
 2. A method as in claim 1 further characterized in that said zodiac symbol is large enough to substantially touch at least two opposing edges of the number selection portion of the Keno card when placed thereover. 